Bryan's Bubbler Build

Perforated & bubble cap plated columns

Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby Zak Griffin » Fri Jul 29, 2016 4:39 pm

No dramas mate, I've got about 1400mm of 3" spare.

Looks like a good trip to the scrappies, I might be able to find a home for some of that copper :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Sat Jul 30, 2016 4:12 pm

G'day Guy's,
Well got the 4" ferrule welded onto the boiler with just enough room for the fill port tri clamp and made the 4" 500mm packed section. Went to put it all back together and one of the site glass tee easy flanges broke while doing up a clamp. :angry-banghead: So decided to bite the bullet and redo all the easy flanges on the site glass tee's as when I first made them I hammered then to to just over a mil not knowing to make em tapered and 2mm thick at the OD. O'well may aswell get everything right before I can say this still is finished and not sure if I have enough 1/4" left so another trip upto the bridge may be on the cards early in the week.

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Sun Jul 31, 2016 10:08 am

G'day Guy's,
Well setup this morning to change the easy flanges on the tee's and the first one went great :happy-partydance: So I'm thinking how about I do a quick film explaining the way I do it which can help other users who face the same problem. I have read in the past about guy's having trouble so I do think it may be a good idea so what do you guy's reckon.

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby WTDist » Sun Jul 31, 2016 11:08 am

Post away, im keen to see how you do them.
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Sun Jul 31, 2016 4:04 pm

This is the method I used for replacing the easy flanges

First cut a short section of pipe, in my case 4" as I am doing 4" easy flanges and prepare the 1/4" copper ring ( won't go into that as if one can't do it don't keep reading). Now to hit the ring down I found a piece of plexi glass purefect for the job and after using it for a few a taper has been beat into it which is just what we need. Now not shown as the ring after Silver soldering will not be flat I use a 4" squrare block of steel and place that ontop of the ring and a couple of bashs with my soft blow hammer soon gets the ring flat.
1st setup.jpg


Next we bash down the ring to form the easy flange in it's finished state, which I made it 2-3mm at the OD and tapered.
2nd step.jpg


Next not shown as the ring will be tight fit coming of the former I get a 1/2 round file and file a flat edge to the ID which does two things. 1. it lets one get the easy flange onto the pipe easily and 2. having a flat edge does give more coverage for the solder to flow so in theory should give a stronger bond.
3rd step.jpg


Then we solder the ring on
4th step.jpg


Then the last step is finish the seal face where one can file the edge, grind it (but don't stuff it or back to step one) or just rub it onto the concrete to get the required finish.
final step.jpg


All sounds too easy right well it aint rocket science just time consuming, I had just enough 1/4" to make 8 rings and only did the worst 4, one I had to do both ends and having the downcomer protruding made it a challenge but after a dram and a bit of thought I used the inner of a besser block which did the job nicely.

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Sun Jul 31, 2016 4:11 pm

Well as I could only put 5 images into that last post I manage after a busy weekend where SWMBO was saying I hope your having fun up there but you're doing buggerall housework. Well with 3 girls in the house and one of them does like the drop I make this was a jobbie that needed doing. :))

Introducing a new setup designed to strip the bejesus out any product I'm going to throw at it. Gotta go into town this week and get about 3 dozen SS scrubbers to pack em in tight into the 500mm section. Soon I'll making a gin basket for doing flavoured runs and a 3" 500mm section to bring the money piece back to earth when I put the thumper on.

vodka setup.jpg


Cheers Bryan

sitting back with the last of the triple distilled vodka and a bottle of coke soon to head into the bar with no beer :music-deathmetal:
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby WTDist » Sun Jul 31, 2016 4:40 pm

Lovely flanges :handgestures-thumbupleft:
The way i do mine is i cut my rings then get one unbrazed ring and wrap it aroudn the 4" and cut off any bit that is needed, 1 or 2mm to make it really tight. then braze it perfectly tight. then when i bash it flat on the concrete with my normal hammer with its slightly curved edge it is tapered up on the 4" and goes out flat on the side. I usually need to use the hammer again to get the ring off to clean it for solder. strong as :handgestures-thumbupleft: after i flux it i need to tap the flange on with a hammer its that tight. I have high hopes for these flanges strength
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby Zak Griffin » Sun Jul 31, 2016 5:01 pm

Good write up mate.

It's worth mentioning, however, that how thing the rings have to be varies depending on what else is in the flange...

You're only running one seal with a soldered plate, I'm going to be sandwiching a plate between two seals so I need my 1/4" rings about as thin as I can get them.
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Sun Jul 31, 2016 5:25 pm

Well Zac if you want thin seals one can like I did with my originals is use a lump of steel and bash the 1/4" tube flat as. Then as an alternative one could simply cut out the flange from some flattened annealed copper plate.

As I made my own seals using 1.6mm gasket and rolls of telfon tape I could make each seal as thick as needed, but what I found with them being so thin applying pressure with the tri-clamp did break the soft soldered joint. I did resolder 2 of the tees and continue leak testing doing the steam run but decided as my still will be pulled apart for different setups the stronger the flange the better.

This morning I did a heap of research on those carter heads and now I have a picture in my mind on how to go with the build thats the next project I'll be doing. With the amount of SS the scrap yard has I do reckon going SS will be the go for that project.

Anyway what I didn't mention I did tig weld that 4" onto the boiler and now I've found the still is nice and solid on the boiler.

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby WTDist » Sun Jul 31, 2016 5:41 pm

what gasket did you use wrapped in Teflon tape? this is on my cards down the track also
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby rumdidlydum » Sun Jul 31, 2016 7:21 pm

Nice work brian, looks nice and square :-D
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Sun Jul 31, 2016 7:41 pm

WTDist the gasket I used is old James Walker paper gasket that has basically turned to cardboard and is a tad brittle. The tape I used is that pfte tape used to seal threads on water joints etc. I did find that way of making a gasket here on the forum and @ $10 for 10 spools of tape it is a cheap way of making the seals. Basically when I take the still apart I put another full turn of tape to renew the gasket. For making a thicker seal it was just a case of using more gasket rings and for the start I put a full roll on each.

I do have 30 litres of TPW that is sitting in my 30 litre fermenter and has been for well over 6 months with a little water in the airlock. So for my first run I'll pack the 500mm with those SS scrubbers and do a single run to see if I can get aezo from the still. Also I have got 2 off 60 litre fermenters with TPW one has basically finished and is on 996 and the other is on 1012 and bubbling away. i put my shed fire on everyday and get them back to 20C, now as the temp wasn't constant I'll strip that 100 litres or so and should have enough low wines to do a 40% spirit run.

cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Thu Aug 04, 2016 5:34 pm

G'day Guy's,
Well watered down that first run to 40% this arvo and gotta say this stuff tasted better than the triple distilled pot still one. I reckon I may have to make up a maceration of some licorice root, star of anise a bit of cinnamon with a pinch of orris root in some of the 92% I still have here and have a go at making some poor mans ouzo. :teasing-tease: Anyway got 2 off 750ml and one of 1 litre bottles @40% off that single run so I reckon that aint bad for 4kg's of sugar and a nice dab of tomato paste.

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby woodduck » Thu Aug 04, 2016 6:10 pm

Nice build Bryan :handgestures-thumbupleft: she's come up a treat, you should be real proud.

As for the ouzo, the recipe in the tried and proven is the one I made that you tried a while back and liked. Your old small pot still would be perfect for making it and your Mrs probably has a lot of those herbs already. Give it a crack, you'll love it.
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Thu Aug 04, 2016 6:27 pm

Great idea WD :D I never thought about having to distill it to get the true flavour :angry-banghead: anyway this does look like a good reason to keep my little pot with the 5 litre SS boiler just for doing this kind of spirit. I ground up some licorice root and a couple of stars along with the other goodies and put some 92% in a jar. In the past I've just added a bit after a few days to pot stilled neutral and it made a nice drop but now I've seen the light :)) time to brush the cob webs off that pot and put it back into service. Got a heap of offcut copper from the build so I'll shove some it up the column for the sulphides and it should be good to go.

Cheers Bryan

Just thinking I do have 3 longnecks of low wines saved up so may aswell use them then just use the litre bottle as one of the 750's has zac's name on it and gotta keep one for myself. Anyway off to the shed now to get the boiler out and get this happening.
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Tue Aug 09, 2016 8:57 am

G'day Guy's,
Well with a bit of help yesterday doing the sniff test :teasing-tease: decantered the ouzo down to 40% and got 2 x 1 litre bottles and a 700ml bottle out of the run. Now the taste isn't over powering as I only used 2 star of anise and 6 licorice roots about 1" long ground along with 1 and a bit of cinnamon and a good pinch of orris root. After this first test well why why bother with a gin basket inline where the oils can leach thru and using a small pot may not be the best way but as far as taste this method will do until I get the carter head built. Anyway next maceration will be for a gin run but gotta make enough neutral for it to happen.

It was a pleasure having Zac up here yesterday and I'm more than happy to help other SA guy's out tigging up their boiler. That's if I'm not treading on the toes of the mod's here.

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby Sam. » Tue Aug 09, 2016 9:18 am

Offering services like that free for members is what we are all about here mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Fri Sep 02, 2016 7:47 pm

G'day Guy's,
Well that CFW is bubbling away like mad so released the lid a tad and thought about well rather than do a single run in the bubbler may aswell setup the still as a pot. Took a look at the still, got the tape out and YEA :happy-partydance: that 500mm section I made is just high enough for the 1/2" output pipe. It will be close to the boiler then I thought I could just put the thumper on to get more height.

Which begs the question would having the inline thumper on would the abv be higher on a strip run or just like take that much longer on the heatup then a few litres of low wines out the thumper after it's cooled.

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby rumdidlydum » Fri Sep 02, 2016 8:33 pm

I would think it would have an effect on the %, because it is a single plate afterall :think:
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Re: Bryan's Bubbler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Fri Jan 27, 2017 2:38 pm

next jobbie.jpg
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